DCI boss George Kinoti is set to re-open investigations into chain killings related to land in Murang’ a County that jarred the country in 2015.

The Standard on Monday, September 23, reported that the DCI is set to reinvestigate the case after the High Court damned the police for doing shoddy investigations in a shameless attempt to bungle the case and defeat justice.

The renewed interest was further occasioned by the adverse mention of Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and Murang’ a governor Mwangi wa Iria in witness testimonies as the main beneficiaries of the blood-sodden land.

A CS Macharia-linked company, Breeze Limited, is alleged to have fraudulently laid hands on a part of the 1,288 acres of land owned by Kihiu Mwiri Farmers Company, leading to a bitter and acrimonious fallout amongst the members that ended up in the death of 10 firm directors in the period between 2013 and 2015.

Four Kihiu Mwiri Land Company directors Peter Kimani, Paul Muhuhi, Josphat Kibe and Zachary Chege were murdered in 2015, a matter that witnesses have linked to the purchase of the land by Breeze.

“Breeze Farm was sold illegally. Kimani told people that the land had been fraudulently sold. Kimani, Muhuhi, Kibe, and Chege were killed because of the Breeze land deal. This is because they demanded that the land be returned to the members,” a witness is quoted.

The Standard reported that the witnesses were initially afraid of mentioning the name of the company or the alleged owners fearing unspecified repercussions, but the court compelled them to come clean, which led to the adverse mention of the cabinet secretary and Breeze Limited.

Murang’ a Governor Mwangi wa Iria is also alleged to have appeared in witness testimonies as among the top regional officials who used their influence to acquire land from the bloodstained cooperative.

The testimony alleged that wa Iria, among other leaders, got 34 acres, which was then transferred to some ‘rich individuals’ using fake certificates.

The witnesses are alleged to have been afraid of reporting to the police after learning that authorities too were deeply involved in the bloody wrangles.

The investigations were further frustrated by witnesses who chose to recant their statements and others who were not willing to mention the names of individuals involved for fear of reprisal.

In July 2019, High Court Judge Joel Ngugi acquitted the last four suspects and dismissed the murder trial a ‘window dressing exercise’ by the state.